Folding partition



June 25, 1968 R. c. BEAN FOLDING PARTITION Filed Sept. 20, 1966 INVENTOR A T' TOR N E Y RUF'US C. BEAN BY Q E United States Patent 3,389,741 FOLDING PARTITION Ruins C. Bean, I.O. Box 25, Clipper Mills, Calif. 95930 Filed Sept. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 580,687 4 Claims. (Cl. 160-199) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Summary As the cardinal object of this invention, it is proposed to provide a folding partition having a series of upright t panels that are hinged together in such a manner that they may be stacked one against the other, when the panels are folded, these panels being swingable to form a zig-zag pattern as they are unfolded and further being swingable into straight alignment with one another when they are moved into fully-extended partition-forming position. In combination with this folding partition, it is proposed to provide a non-stretchable cable having its ends hinged to selected panels, the cable being positioned and having a length between its anchor points with the panels so regulated that the cable will begin to tighten as the panels move through the zig-zag pattern and just before the panels are fully extended, and the cable being tensioned substantially straight and located along substantially the centerline of the partition when the panels are fully extended, thus holding the panels in straight alignment with one another and further holding ythe joints tight between adjacent panels.

Moreover, it is proposed to arrange the cable in such a manner that it will not hinder the operation of the partition during the folding and extending thereof, and further the desired amount of tensioning of the cable may be readily adjusted.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my folding partition with the panels stacked one against the other, i.e., the partition occupying a folded position;

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1, with the partition partially extended;

FIG. 3 shows the partition fully extended;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the fully extended partition; and

FIG. 5 Vis a horizontal sectional View of a clamp-bearing bracket, as seen from the plane 5 5 of FIG. 4.

While I have shown only one embodiment of the invention. it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now lto the drawing in detail, I have shown a series of upright panels designated at A1 to A5, inclusive. It will be understood that the number of panels may be increased or decreased. The panels A1 and A5 will be referred to as the first and last panel, respectively, while the panels A2, A3 and A1 will be referred to as intermediate panels, as the specification proceeds. These panels are arranged in an opening provided in a wall B, the left and right jambs of the opening being designated at 11 and 12, respectively.

Adjacent panels are hinged together with hinges 13 being `disposed on rst one side of the panels and then on the other, as viewed along the length of the partition. These hinges will permit the panels to be stacked one against the other, as in FIG. 1, when the partition is folded against the right jamb 12. Moreover, the panels are swingable on their hinges to form a ziz-Zag pattern, as suggested at the right-hand portion of FIG. 2, when the panels are being unfolded, and the panels are further swingable into straight alignment with one another when they are moved into fully-extended partition-forming position, as in FIG. 3. Movement of the first panel A1 toward the left-hand jamb 11 is indicated by the arrow 14 in FIG. 2.

For the purpose of movably supporting the panels, an overhead rail 1S has been shown in FIG. 4, and rollers 16 ride on this rail and have hangers 17 depending therefrom. Hanger bolts 18 secure the tops of the panels A1, A3 and A5 to the hangers 17, with the panels being swingable about vertical axes.

It will be noted that a non-stretchable cable C extends along the length of the folding partition provided by the panels A1 to A5, inclusive, the opposite end sections 19 of the cable being anchored at points tothe first and last panel A1 and A5, respectively.

The length of the cable C between its anchor points with the rst and last panels is adjusted so that the cable will begin to tighten just before the panels are fully extended (see FIG. 2), and position of this cable is such that it will be tensioned substantially straight and located along substantially the centerline 20 of the partition provided by the panels when the latter are fully extended (see FIG. 3). This will hold the panels straight in alignment with one another, and further hold the joints tight between adjacent panels. The cable has been shown as being secured to the panels A1 to A4, inclusive, by staples 21, or other Ysuitable fastening means, as indicated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing.

It will be observed that a pair of clamp-bearing brackets D are swingably anchored to the hanger bolts 18 for the first and last panels A1 and A5, respectively, and opposite end sections 19 of the cable are secured to these brackets. Each bracket D has a rod 22 vthat .is formed with a longitudinal bore 23 into which the adjacent cable end is adjustably inserted (see FIG. 5). Setscrews 24 are operable to clamp the cable end sections 19 to the rods 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cable C and the clamp-bearing brackets D are located adjacent to the top edges 25 of the panels so that the tensioning of the cable may be accomplished with ease.

I claim:

1. In a folding partition:

(a) a series of upright panels arranged to form a partition, adjacent panels being hinged together with the hinges being disposed on rst one side of the panels and then on the other, as viewed along the length of the partition;

(b) means supporting the panels so that the latter may be stacked one against the other, when the panels are folded on their hinges;

(c) the panels being swingable on their hinges to form a ziz-zag pattern as they are unfolded, and the panels being further swingable into straight alignment with one another when they are moved into fully-extended partition-forming position;

sesam (d) a non-stretchable cable extending along the length of the folding partition provided by the panels, the opposite end sections of the cable being hinged at points to the irst and last panel in the series;

(e) the length of the cable between its anchor points with the rst and last panel being adjusted so that the cable will begin to tighten just before the panels are fully extended, and length of this cable being such that it will be tensioned substantially straight and located along substantially the centerline of the partition provided by the panels when the latter are fully extended, thus holding the panels in straight alignment with one another, and further holding the joints tight between adjacent panels.

2. The folding partition, as set forth in claim l;

(f) and in which the means supporting the panels dene hanger bolts secured to at least the rst and last panels;

(g) the hanger bolts for the rst and last panels being provided with clamp-bearing brackets swingably anchored thereto, and the opposite end sections of the cable being adjustably secured to these brackets. 3. The folding partition, as set forth in claim 2; (h) and in which the clamp-bearing brackets have rods that are formed with longitudinal bores into which the adjacent cable ends are adjustably inserted, and

4 set-screws operable to clamp the cable ends to the rods.

4. The folding partition, as set forth in claim 1;

(f) and in which the means supporting the panels dene hanger bolts secured to at least the rst and last panels;

(g) the hanger bolts for the rst and last panels being provided with clamp-bearing brackets swingably anchored thereto, and the opposite end sections of the cable being secured to these brackets;

(h) the clamp-bearing brackets having rods that are formed with longitudinal bores into which the adjacent cable ends are adjustably inserted, and setscrews operable to clamp the cable ends to the rods;

(i) the cable and clamp-bearing brackets being located adjacent to the top edges of the panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,151,033 3/1939 Jones 1GO-206 X 2,641,214 6/1953 MacGregor et al. 1GO-206 X 2,891,274 6/1959 Bloom 1GO-206 X DAVID I, WILLlAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner'.

25 DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Examiner. 

